Advent Reminder at Work
This Liturgical Year, which begins with Advent, gives us the chance to start anew in every way. Work in an "Advent" spirit. What does it mean?
We await Jesus coming into our hearts, even as we begin our day's work, even as we attend to our duties throughout the day. Each moment, each hour, each day brings Him closer. Even during our busiest days, we can still silently pray from time to time:
It reminds us to prepare a place for Him - a fresh little manger within us. Even in the midst of our work, this little prayer reminds us - day by day - to place a piece of straw there, awaiting the birth of Christ. We look forward to His birth, a kind of "re-birth" for us. Our work, sometimes tedious, takes on a freshness with each little prayer, each piece of straw laid carefully, lovingly, to prepare our hearts for Him.
We begin to see how He came to free us from our sins, this little Baby Jesus. We remember how he worked - as we work - daily, for so many years, out of sight during those hidden years, first obedient to His parents in everything, then working to help them, pulling His own weight, giving us the good example of the good child, the good worker.
We remember how He eventually began a public life - one of preaching, teaching, miracles. We read our New Testament each day, finding new, fresh inspiration in His words.
Today, I read how, dining at the house of a Pharisee, He asks them "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?" He heals a man on the sabbath. Surrounded by these men locked into their legalistic world of formal words and gestures, judging Him - the Son of God! - He displays no impatience, no anger, not even frustration. He doesn't wonder, "Where do I start to explain just how wrong these people are?" He doesn't pause even a moment, but immediately says: "Which of you, having an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?"
The gospel (Luke 14:1-6) passage ends simply, "And they could not reply to this."
I think of my own impatience and frustration at times during the workday. I think of the lack of charity displayed so many times to those - some difficult people, some perfectly innocent "bystanders" - who surround me. I think of my reluctance to tackle some piece of difficult work staring me in the face. Then I think of Our Lord in this one little moment of His life. And in the spirit of Advent, in the freshness of this New Year, I am now refreshed in spirit. My heart lightens up. A tiny inkling of joy cuts through the mundane workday.
I remember His coming to be with us, how He died for us, that we could be free of sin, or the everyday "oppressive" feelings that chain us to this world. And again I pray:
We await Jesus coming into our hearts, even as we begin our day's work, even as we attend to our duties throughout the day. Each moment, each hour, each day brings Him closer. Even during our busiest days, we can still silently pray from time to time:
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts!
It reminds us to prepare a place for Him - a fresh little manger within us. Even in the midst of our work, this little prayer reminds us - day by day - to place a piece of straw there, awaiting the birth of Christ. We look forward to His birth, a kind of "re-birth" for us. Our work, sometimes tedious, takes on a freshness with each little prayer, each piece of straw laid carefully, lovingly, to prepare our hearts for Him.
We begin to see how He came to free us from our sins, this little Baby Jesus. We remember how he worked - as we work - daily, for so many years, out of sight during those hidden years, first obedient to His parents in everything, then working to help them, pulling His own weight, giving us the good example of the good child, the good worker.
We remember how He eventually began a public life - one of preaching, teaching, miracles. We read our New Testament each day, finding new, fresh inspiration in His words.
Today, I read how, dining at the house of a Pharisee, He asks them "Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath, or not?" He heals a man on the sabbath. Surrounded by these men locked into their legalistic world of formal words and gestures, judging Him - the Son of God! - He displays no impatience, no anger, not even frustration. He doesn't wonder, "Where do I start to explain just how wrong these people are?" He doesn't pause even a moment, but immediately says: "Which of you, having an ass or an ox that has fallen into a well, will not immediately pull him out on a sabbath day?"
The gospel (Luke 14:1-6) passage ends simply, "And they could not reply to this."
I think of my own impatience and frustration at times during the workday. I think of the lack of charity displayed so many times to those - some difficult people, some perfectly innocent "bystanders" - who surround me. I think of my reluctance to tackle some piece of difficult work staring me in the face. Then I think of Our Lord in this one little moment of His life. And in the spirit of Advent, in the freshness of this New Year, I am now refreshed in spirit. My heart lightens up. A tiny inkling of joy cuts through the mundane workday.
I remember His coming to be with us, how He died for us, that we could be free of sin, or the everyday "oppressive" feelings that chain us to this world. And again I pray:
Divine Infant of Bethlehem, come and take birth in our hearts!
Comments